Automatic record feed and repeater device for phonographs



S. KOHN Sept. 7, 1937.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1930" m T N w m ATTORNEY S. KOHN Sept. 7, 1937.

AUTOMATIC RECORD FEED AND REPEATER DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed l arch 28, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Sept. 7, 1937. s. KOHN AUTOMATIC RECORD FEED AND REPEATER DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed March 28, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 LNR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1937 AUTOMATIC RECORD FEED AND BEPEA DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

Samuel Kohn, Bronx N. 1., assitnor to Radio Corporation of America, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 28, 1930, Serial No. 439,824

26 Claims. (01. 274-10) This invention relates to improvements in phonographs, with specialireference to types using flat circular disc records, having a continuous spiral sound groove of either the lateral or hilland-dale type.

Such records aresubject to certain disadvantages such for instance as their limited capacity, whereby the rendition of a lengthy song, story or musical work may not be completed on a single record, changing of which introduces brief interludes of silence that are highly objectionable, due to the hand work in releasing, removing and substitution of a continuing record.

It is also frequently desirable to enlarge upon the scope of a single record, as in the rendition of dance music, the objection to which it has been attempted to avoid by devices causing a repetition of playing the same record, but such devices are usually complicated and cumbersome.

I am aware that attempts have been made to produce so called multi-disc or progressively playing phonographs, but in all such attempts, so far as I am aware, the mechanism has been costly, cumbersome and complicated and subject quence into position to deposit a new record upon the turntable when the previous record has been played, and also having means for repeating any selected record at will.

A further feature is in the provision of means to prevent damage to the records or needle, while the records are being transferred from their storage container into operative position, such transposition being rapid, completely automatic and timed from the end of the groove in the completed record to the beginning of the groove in the succeeding record. I

'Another aim is to provide means for playing records of different diameters with the same apparatus upon the mere substitution of a record carrier or supportfor the particular diameter of record to be played.

These advantageous objects are accomplished by the novel and practical arrangement of'parts hereinafter described and shown in the accom panying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

. spaced slightly above the roll 39, and at a Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus, showing a'record in playing position.

Fig. 2 is a similar plan view, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing the operative parts in another position with the tone arm beyond the rec- 5 0rd and a new record partly lowered onto the turntable.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View partially in section, showing the device with the lowermost record as about to be deposited upon the turntable and all the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the adjusting device.

The apparatus consists of a thin metallic plate l5, forming a partial cover for the supporting stand on which the apparatus is secured.

Fixed on the plate I5, is a bracket l6 from which rises a pair of raised supports, respectively I! and I8, through the latter of which extends a spindle l9, having attached at its end a tone arm 20, a reproducer 2| being engaged on its outer free end carrying a needle 22, of any preferred type. I

Except when in playing position, the tone-arm 20 normally rests upon a support arm 23 on 25 which it freely rides, the armbeing fixed in the head 24 of a slidable spindle 25, extending axially through a raised boss on the bracket l6 and sub- Ject to a vertical movement by means further on described.

The mating support ll acts as a bearing for a shaft 26, having fixed on its upper extending end a plate bracket 21, having downwardly flanged lateral edges 28 which are neatly fitted between a pair of opposed flanges 29, extending from the sides of an arm 30, theelements 28 and 29 being pivotally connected by a pin 3| passing transversely through them.

The arm 30 is formed as part of a record carrier 32, suited to receive a plurality of records 33, the lowermost of which is supported by inreaching lugs 36, arranged in spaced relation upon one side only of the ring 32, and directly opposite the midway position of the lugs 34 the ring has an inclined skirt.

.This skirt is notched, as at 35, to produce a downwardly bent element 36 to which is attached a clip 31 carrying supports 38 extending inwardly' toward-the axis of the ring. and serving as bearings for a roll 39 on which the lowermost record 33 normally rests, thus providing a threepoint support.

A similar roll 40 is carried by supports ll,

greater radius so as to permit one of the records.

as 33' to enter between the rolls while'being deposited in operative position on a turntable 42 Theturntable 42 is shown as mounted on a spindle 43, which is provided withan extending upper portion bevelled to readily engage with the axial opening in any of the-records as placed thereon.

Below the turntable 42, the spindle 43 is provided on its lower end with a -fixed pinion 48, arranged to drive a spur gear 41 mounted on a stud 48 encircled by a sleeve 48, the sleeve being provided with an enlarged friction annulus 58.

The stud 48 is engaged in the support plate I5, and it will be understood that the spindle 43 is rotated, preferably by an electric motor not shown, but to which current is conveyed by a spring switch device 52, having contacts 53-54 automatically opened by means further on described.

A lever 55 is pivoted to the plate |I5 on a pin 58, the main arm of the lever containing a slot 51 engageable with a pin 58 carried in a cam plate 59, the main portion of which is fixed on the shaft 25 to move with it.

The shorter arcuate arm of the cam plate 58 is downwardly bent at its extremity to form a cam surface and operates below the stem 25 o! the arm 23, causing the arm to raise .and lower in accordance with the position of the cam plate 59, and record carrier thereby raising andlow-v ering the reproducer head 2I in an obvious man-- ner.

Another arm 62 of the lever 55 has: set in it a pin 63 on which is rotatably mounted an eccen tric disc 64, this disc tending to be normally held in peripheral engagement with the friction annulus 58 by a coiled tension spring 65, one

end of which is attached to the lever 55 and the other to a fixed point on the plate I5.

Thus it will be seen that the annulus 58 measurably controls the motion of the lever 55 by rotation of the disc. I

Fixed on the upper side of the gear 41 is an upstanding lug adapted to engage the conyond the point 18 of the underlying lever and vexly curved portion 61 of a lever 68 having a slot 68 and pivoted at 58 to the plate I5, and having at its outer free end, opposite the curved element 61, a sharply angled element 18.

, Pivoted at 1|, on the lever 68, is another lever 12, its-free end 13 being arranged to stop beis normally held out of such tension spring 14.

The lever 12 has adjacent its fulcrumed point 1| a bent lug 15 which operates against the edge of the lever 68 and is movable upon contact of the lever with a post 58 set in the plate I5. The arm 16 of the lever 55 is provided with an position by a coiled acute point 11 the same being engageable with 7 of teeth in an adjustment disc 81 mounted on a spindle 88, the pawl 85 being held against over operation by alug 89 on the lever 18.

Fixed on the spindle 88 is a head 98 provided with a graduated disc 8|, arranged to be manually operated and having a pointer 82 movable with respect to a series of numerals 93 on the disc and also with relation to stop" and "play" symbols 84 and 85, the disc also having an extension 88 bearing the word constant".

Fixed on" the spindle 88, below the toothed disc 81, is another disc 88, generally circular, but

provided at one point with a depression ter-' minating in a lug 88. I

Impinging against the disc 98 is a tooth I88 formed on a 'lever I8I, pivoted at I82 to the plate I5, and drawn normallyointo engagement with the discs 88 by a tension spring I83. The end of the lever I8I opposite the-point I88 being adapted to make contact with a dog I84 pivoted at I85, and arranged to make operative contact with a spring arm I85, carrying the electric contact 54, so that, when the lever I M is moved by the disc 98, the contacts 53 and 54 are separated to open the motor circuit.

Another index H8 is arcuately formed and secured to the plate I5 axially with relation to the post III, the index having portions II2-II3 at its ends respectively for 10 and 12 inch records, while its central portion H4 is arranged for repeating the record then in position on the turntable.

An index finger II 5 is secured in the element III, the upper end of which is slotted to fixedly receive a longitudinal reversible bar IIG, having relatively long and short ends 50 and I IEb respectively, for domng the large or the small records, the upper edge of the bar being disposed in the plane of the bottom of the ring 32.

This bar is above and parallel with a lever II1 pivoted at. II8 to the plate I 5 and in turn has pivoted at its outer free end a lever I28, the tension spring I83 connecting the levers IM and I28.

Fixed on the lower end of the element III is a plate having a series of angular faces as I22,

I23 and I24 and I24, any of which may be se- 1 lectively brought into position to contact the narrowed portion of the lever 1, depending upon whether it is desired to play 10 or 12 inch records, or if the record on the turntable is to be repeated.

The lever 68, containing a slot 58', movable on w the fixed pin 59, is broadened and presents an arcuately curved element I25, having a concave cam slot I25 struck from the radius of the. pin 59, and another portion I21 of the cam slot bein struck from a difierent radius.

Movable in the cam slots is a pin I28 fixed on a fiat lever I38 which in turn is pivoted on the pin 69 and contains an elongated slot I 3| increasing in width towards its inner portion, which is disposed at a tangent to the pin 58. Y

Operable in the slot I3I is a pin, the upper end of which is arranged in two difierent planes respectively i32--I33, this pin being fixed in a lever I35 which is fixed on the spindle I8 which in turn is keyed to the tone arm 28, so that as the tone-arm 28 is moved upon its axis the lever I35 is likewisemoved and the pin will move in the slot I3I and actuate the lever I38.

The action of the lever I35 is limited by contact ,of the raised portion I33 of the pin, coming in engagement with the steps 82 or 83, according to the position of the lever 18.

Riding against the periphery of the cam I25 is a pin [38 carried at the end of a short lever I31 pivoted at I38 to the lever I38 and urged by spring I38 to retain the cam surface I26-I21 in contact with pin I28. I

The lever I28 has a forked outer end, one of the forks I48 engageable with the pivot i '66 to limit the movement of lever I.20 in one di- 1 rection while the other fork I4I makes engagement with the lower portion I42 of the pin I32--I23 to move the tone arm from'its fully extended position to a position to land on the record and then to move-the tone-arm further inward to bring the stylus to the first lines of the record.

In operation the device works as follows: Assume, as a starting point, the position shown 4 in the drawings, Fig. l, in which the reproducer 2I is seen as having moved inwardly almost to the end of the sound grooves of a record on the turntable, and the record carrier 32 resting in its outermost position, a stack of records having been previously deposited in the carrier. The eccentric disc is now outof contact with the annulus I 60. Also, the arm or dofler H6 is in position to disengage the lowermost record from the stack. -When the stylus 22 has reached the last sound groove of a record, the tone-arm having ceased-to advance, the detent 10 on lever 68 remains in the path of the lug 66' and when struck by it, the lever 68 is rocked on its pivot against the lug SI of 'lever 19 thus causing lever 19 to rotate on its pivot 69 to disengage the lug 18 from point 11 of lever 55 allowing lever 55 under the influence of its spring 65 to rotate on its pivot 56 to bring the periphery of the eccentric disc 64 into frictional engagement with the annulus 50 to be driven by it.

The disc 64 will now rotate in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1) and by reason of the eccentricity of the disc, lever 55 will be rotated on its pivot, and through its slotted connection with pin 58, I it will move the record carrier in the direction to be over the turntable in position to deposit new records.

As the record carrier 32 commences to move 2 toward its position over the turntable, it carries ,1 with it the cam plate 59 which rides under the pin 25 causing the pin and its arm-23 to rise vertically, thus raising fromthe record, the tone-arm 20 until the stylus is entirely free of any record that might be upon the turntable.

Further movement of the record carrier toward the right, (as seen in Fig. 1) will cause the edge of the carrier to contact with the reproducer 2I and move it to its extreme outward position oil the turntable, it being understood thatthe tonearm will ride freely on, arm 23 and be supported by it until again lowered onto the record.

As the record carrier approaches its innermost position, the nose II6a on arm II6 will engage the edge. of the lowermost record, and further movement of the carrier beyond this point will cause the record to be moved into the escapement slot produced between the rolls 39 and 40, until the record is disengaged from the lugs 34; one end of the record will then drop by gravity, so

0 that the centering hole of the record will engage directly over the turntable spindle 43.

The eccentric disc '64 has now reached the highest point of eccentricity with relation to the annulus 50 and further rotation will permit ;5 the record carrier to travel back again under the influence of spring 65 to resume its initial position. As the record carrier 32 moves back. the

lowermost record having been engaged over the spindle 43 of the turntable, it will be dragged out of the escapement slot and allowed to fall by gravity onto the turntable.

The reproducer arm, too, under the influence of spring I03 acting on lever I20 follows the record carrier and returns to landing position on 5 the record. This landing position is determined by the position of the lever 16. As shown in Fig. 2,. of the drawings, this lever is in position for playing records and the pin I33 will contact with the shoulder 82 on lever 18 and thus pre-- drawn from under the shaft 26 and has permitted the tone-arm to be lowered onto the blank margin of the record disc Just outside the first playing lines.

The fork I is now enabled to further advance the tone-arm inwardly until the stylus reaches the playing lines. it being understood that the outer arm I40 oi the lever I20 contacts with shaft 66 to limit its movement in that direction.

The tone-arm is now free to advance to reproduce the record until the stylus again reaches the last sound convolution on the record.

Now as the tone arm 20 is moved to place the stylus in the starting position on the record the lever I30 is rotated around its pivot 69 and the pins I26I36 which yieldingly grip the element I25, swing the lever 68 on the pivot 69 in the lower end of the slot 68'. As the playing of the record proceeds and the tone arm 20 advances, thereby further rotating the lever I 30, the pins I28-I36 merely slide along the element I25 since the end of the lever 12 has contacted pin 60 and can be rotated no further in that direction. This continues until the pin I28 reaches the end of the cam surface I26. Now as it moves further onto the cam surface I21, the element I25 becoming narrower,.the lever 68 is moved downwardly, as viewed in Fig. 2, until the upper end of the slot 68' rides on the pin 69 thus bringing the free ends of the lever 68 into the pathof the lug 66. By means of the construction already described, the lever 66 is initially held away from the path of the lug 66, but is gradually moved into its path by downward movement of the lever 68 on the pin 69.

The lever 68 noWpresents the projection 61 in the path of the lug 66 and as the gear 41 rotates the lug 6.6 sweeps the end 61 of the lever 66 out of its path thus to present the edge 10 into its path, and this is permitted through the yielding frictional engagement of the element I25 between the pins I28'I36;.but, further advance of the tone arm 20, causing the lever I30 to continue to rotate on its pivot, rotates the lever 68 to remove the'edge 10 from the path of the lug 66 so that the edge 10 will not be struck by the lug, and again as the gear 41 rotates, the lug 66 will sweep against the end 61 of the lever to again present the edge 10 into its path. This periodic :engagement of the lug 66 with the end 61 of the lever continues until the stylus has reached the last sound convolution of the record, which convolution is usually circular and accordingly, there will be no further advance of the tone arm and the lever 66 will remain stationary with the sharply angled element 10 in the path of the lug 66 so that it will be struck by the lug 66, to rotate the lever 68 in a clockwise direction far enough to engage the lug 0i.

This cycle will be repeated as long as there are records in the carrier -to be deposited on the turntable providing of course, that the pointer 32 has been set to the numeral corresponding .with the number of records in the carrier desired to be played.

As stated above, as the last line on each record -is reached, the lever 68 becomes operative and in positc end of this lever will push element- I00 against spring switch I 06 to open the switch 52 and thereby stop the phonograph. If however it is desired to disengage the automatic stop to permit continuous playing, the indicator may be turned to constant and this movement presents to the pawl 85 the smooth surface 88', rendering the pawl inoperative to rotate disc 98 to position to allow tongue I00 to fall into indent 99 to open the switch.

The parts as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are in posi.-- tion for playing 10" records but should it be desired to play 12" records, the stylus must be arranged to land on the margin of the larger record and this is accomplished by merely rotating the doff er plate H6, 180 to present the shorter end 61) to the record. This movement also results in rotating the cam disc on the post I I i to present surface I24 to the narrow end of lever I I1 allow-- ing the spring I03 to raise lever I20 to present the shoulder 83 to-the pin surface I33.

If while records are still in the carrier, it should be desired to repeat'any record, the doffer plate is turned about from its playing position toward repeat" thus preventing either nose IIGa or IIBb from dofiing a record from the carrier.

As the tone-arm 20 is being moved off the record, it rotates with it the lever I35 which in turn moves the lever I20 through contact of the pin I33 with the fork MI, and the lug I20 contacts with the underside of lever 19 and rocks it on its pivot to present the shoulders 82 or 83 as the case may be in the path of I33.

Certain makes of disc records have the final convolution terminating in a quick spiral, or

sometimes in an eccentric groove, in either of which case the tone-arm is given a rapid forward movement resulting in a rapid movement of the lever I30 and the lever 68.

This movement would remove projection I0 from the path of lug 66 and it would be necessary to wait until the lug again kicked the lever 68 to present projection I0 into its path for rendering operative the remainder of the mechanism, and

- to obviate this, the lever I2 is provided for quick action.

Upon the happening of the above described movements, the lever 68 will cause lever I2 to abut against the pin 60 and thus turn it on its pivot II to present the free end '13 into the path of the lug 66. When lug 66 contacts with the free end of the lever I3, itwill cause lever 68 to rotate on its pivot through engagement of the downturned lug I5 against this lever and thus cause disengagement of the acute end 11 of the lever 55 from lug I8.

The foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive and illustrative only, and not as restrictive or limitative of the invention, of which obviously an embodiment may be constructed including many modifications without departing from the general scope herein indicated and denoted in the appended claims.

' said third lever for normally locking said last Having thus described my invention, what claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

'1. In combination with a phonograph having a rotating element, a swinging element, a stylus carried by the swinging element to follow the sound convolutions of a record upon the rotating element and thus to propel the swinging element, and a record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction, and mechanism to operate the same, two levers rotatably mounted on a common axis, means associated with the swinging element for rotating one of said levers, yieldable meansconnecting' the two levers to cause the second lever to follow themovements or the first lever, meansengaging a projection on the second lever to rotate it oppositely to the rotation of the first lever after the swinging element has reached the last sound convolution on a record upon the rotating element, means associated with the second lever to render said mechanism operative, when the forward movement of the swinging element has ceased, to move the record carrier into position to deposit a new record onto the rotating element, and to recede to initial position after the record has been deposited.

2. The combination with a phonograph having a rotating element, a swinging element, a stylus carried by the swinging element to follow the sound convolutions of a record upon the rotating element and thus to propel the swinging element, and a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction and mechanism to operate the same; of three levers all mounted on a common axis, two of said levers being yieldingly engaged to cause the second to follow the movements of the first; the third lever being freely pivoted with respect to the other two, means associated with said record carrier for effecting migratory movement thereof, means on named means to restrain it from moving said carrier, means associated with the swinging element for rotating the first of said levers, means engaging a projection of the second lever to rotate it oppositely to the rotation of the first lever after the swinging element has reached the last sound convolution on the record upon the rotating element, means on the third lever to be engaged by the second lever when such position has been reached for unlocking said first named means from said third lever whereby to render the mechanism operative, to move the record carrler into position to deposit a new record upon the rotating element and to recede to initial position after the record has been deposited.

3. The combination with a phonograph having a rotating element, a swinging element, a stylus carried by the swinging element to follow the sound convolutions of a record upon the rotating element and thus to propel the swinging element, and a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction and mechanism including a lever for actuating said carrier to operate the same; three levers all mounted on a common axis, two of said levers being yieldingly engaged to cause the second to follow the movements of thefirst, the third leverbeing freely pivoted with respect to the'other two, means associated with theswinging element for rotating the first of said levers, means on the third lever for normally restraining the carrier actuating lever from actuating said carrier, and means engaging a projection on the second leverto rotate it oppositely to its rotation in response to said first lever when the swinging element ceases to advance or advances abnormally, to releasethe restraining means from the carrier actuating lever to permit the carrier to be moved thereby into position to deposit a new record onto the rotating element and to recede to its initial position after the record has been deposited, and means for effecting the deposit of a record from said carrier onto said rotating element incident to said migratory movement.

4. The combination with a phonograph having a rotating element and driving means therefor, a swinging element, a stylus carried by the swinging element to follow the sound convolutions of a record upon therotating element and thus to propel the swinging element. and a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction and mechanism including a lever for actuating said carrier to operate the axis, two of said levers being yieldingly engaged to cause the second to follow the movements of the first, the third lever being freely pivoted with respect to the other two, means associated with the swinging element for rotating the first of said levers, means adapted to actuate said actuating lever for moving the carrier to its various positions, means for normally urging said last named means into engagement with said driving means, means for normally restraining said urging means from operation, and means engaging a projection of the second lever to rotate it oppositely to the rotation of the first lever and release the restraining means when the swinging element ceases to advance or advances abnormally.

5. The combination with a phonograph having a rotating element, a swinging element, a stylus carried by the swinging element to follow the sound convolutions of a record upon the rotating element and thus to propel the swinging element, and a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the turntable at the end of each reproduction and mechanism 50 including a lever for actuating said carrier to operate the same; of two levers mounted on a common axis, said levers being yieldingly engaged to cause the second lever to follow the movement of the first, a third lever, means as- 5 sociated with the swinging element for rotating the first of said levers, means engaging a projection of the second lever to rotate it oppositely to the first lever upon cessation of forward movement'of and upon any abnormal movement of the 60 swinging element, means on the third lever to restrain the carrier actuating second lever during normal playing movement of the swinging element and means including said lever to remove said restraint upon engagement of said means 65 with said projection of the second lever.

6. The combination with a phonograph having a turntable and a record centering spindle thereon, of a migratory record carrier mounted to move over and beyond alinement with the 7 turntable and to return to initial position and 7 on the opposite side, a stack of records in said same; three levers all mounted on a common carrier and means to abut against the edge of, and by arresting its forward movement, to disengage the lowermost record from the lugs and move it into the escapement slot to cause it to drop onto the spindle when the record has reached the position of axial alinement with the turntable and before the carrier starts to resume its initial position. i

7. The combination with a phonograph, of a migratory record carrier mounted to move over and beyond alinement withthe turntable and to return to initial position and operatively connected to the phonograph driving mechanism,

' said record carrier comprising a ring having record supporting lugs on one side of its center and a record support and escapement slot on the opposite side, a stack of records in said carrier, means to arrest the forward movement of the lowermost record when it has reached a posi tion of axial alinement with the turntable spindle while the record carrier continues to move to its position beyond alinement to move the record into the escapement slot, to partially disengage said record from the carrier to cause it to drop over the spindle.

8. The combination with a phonograph, of a migratory record carrier mounted to move over and beyond alinement with the turntable and to return to initial position and operatively connected to the phonograph driving mechanism, said record carrier comprising a ring having record supporting lugs on one side of its center and a record support and escapement slot on the opposite side, a stack of records in said carrier, means to arrest the forward movement of the lowermost record when it has reached a position of axial alinement with the turntable. spindle while the record carrier continues to move on to its position beyond alinement to move said record into the escapement slot and to disengage it from the lugs to cause it to drop over the spindle, said spindle serving also to retain the record in such position while the carrier recedes to completely release the record.

9. The combination with a phonograph, of a migratory record carrier mounted to move over and beyond alinement with the turntable and to return to initial position and operatively connected to the phonograph driving mechanism, said record carrier comprising a ring having record supporting lugs on one side of its center and a record support and escapement slot on the opposite side, a stackv of records in said carrier, means to move the lowermost record into the escapement slot and to disengage it from-the lugs to cause it to drop onto the turntable spindle when said record has reached the position of axial alinement with the spindle, said means comprising an abutment. against which the edge of said record abuts to arrest its forward movement, means associated with the carrier to raise the tone-arm from the record and maintain it in raised position while it is being moved outwardly by the record carrier and until it is returned into position adjacent the first lines of the next succeeding record, said carrieralso being adapted to contact with and move the tone-arm to a position beyond the record edge, and means to return the arm so its stylus is adjacent the initial playing lines of the record.

10. The combination with a phonograph, of a migratory record carrier, a stack of records in said carrier, means to automatically operatively connect the record carrier to the phonograph driving mechanism, to cause it to move into and beyond alinement with the turntable and back to initial position, said record carrier comprising a ring having record supporting lugs on one side oi its center and a record support and escapement slot on the opposite side, means to move the lowermost record into the escapement slot and to disengage it from the lugs to cause it to drop onto the turntable when said record has reached the position of axial aiinement with the turntab'e, said means comprising an abutment against which the edge of said record abuts to arrest its forward movement, means associated with the carrier to raise the tone-arm from the record and maintain it in raised position while it is being 11. The combination with a phonograph having a tone-arm normally moved by and during the playing of a phonograph record, driving means therefor, a migratory record carrier, a member pivoted to move said record carrier alternately in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted to said member and means for tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engagement with the phonograph driving means, means for re- 35 straining the said urging means during normal playing of the phonograph, means to disengage said restraining means upon cessation of movement of, and upon any abnormal advancement of the tone-arm whereby the disc-is brought into 40 engagement to be rotated by the phonograph driving mechanism.

12. The combination with a phonograph having a rotating element, a swinging element, a stylus carried by the swinging element to follow the 5 sound convolutions of a record upon the rotating element and thus to propel the swinging element, of a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction, a member pivoted 50 to move said record carrier alternately in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted to said member and meansfor tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engagement with the phonograph driving means, means for raising the 55 swinging element from the record, means movable with the carrier for actuating said raising means, and means on the carrier for moving the swinging element to a position beyond but adjacent the record to permit the can-ier to deposit 60 a record upon the rotating element.

13. The combination with a phonograph having a rotating element, a swinging element, a stylus carried by the swinging element to follow the sound convolutions of a record upon the 65 rotating element and thus to propel the swinging element, of a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction, a member pivoted to move said record carrier alternate- 70 ly in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted to said member and means tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engagement with the phonograph driving means, means for said swinging element for rendering said restraining means ineflectiveto further restrain .a position beyond but adjacent the record to permit the carrier to deposit a record upon the rotating element.

14. The combination with a phonograph hav--,

ing a tone arm normally moved by and during the playing of a phonograph record, and driving means therefor, of a migratory record carrier, a

, member pivoted to move said record carrier alternately in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted to said member and means for tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engagement with the phonograph driving means, means for restraining the said urging means during normal playing of the phonograph, means to disengage said restraining means upon cessation of movement of, and upon any abnormal advancement of the tone-arm whereby the disc is brought into engagement to be rotated by the phonograph driving mechanism, means for raising the tonearm from the record, means movable with the carrier for actuating said raising means, and means on the carrier for moving the tone-arm to a position beyond but adjacent the record.

15. The combination with a phonograph having a rotating element, a swinging element, a

styluscarried by the swinging element to follow the sound convolutions of a record upon the rotating element and thus to propel the swinging element, of a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction, a member pivoted to move said record carrier alternately in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted to said member and means for tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engagement with the phonograph driving means, means for raising the swinging element from the record, means movable with the carrier for actuating said raising means, means on the carrier for moving the swinging element to a position beyond but:

adjacent the record to permit the carrier to deposit a record upon the rotating element, and means to normally urge the swinging element from the position beyond the record edge, towards the first playing lines.

16. The combination with a phonograph having a' rotating element, a swinging element, a

stylus carried by the swinging element to follow the sound convolutions of a record upon the rotating element and thus to propel the swinging element, of a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction, a member pivoted to move said record carrier alternately in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted to said member and means tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engage ment with the phonograph driving means, means for restraining the said urging means during normal playing of the phonograph, means controlled by said swinging element for rendering said restraining means ineifective to further restrain, said urging means after the reproduction of a record whereby to render said urging means free to move said disc into engagement with said driving means to efiect migratory movement of said carrier, means for raising the swinging element from the record, means movable with the carrier for actuating said raising means, means on the carrier for moving said element to a position beyond but adjacent the record to permit the carrier to deposit a record upon the rotating element, and means to normally urge said element from this latter position towards the first playing lines.

17. The combination with a phonograph hav-' ing a swinging element. normally moved by and during the playing of a phonograph record, of a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the phonograph turntable at the end of each reproduction, a member pivoted to move said record carrier alternately in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted to said member and means for tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engagement with the phonograph driving means, means for restraining the said urging means during normal playing'of the phonograph, means to disengage said restraining means upon cessation'of movethe swinging element whereby the disc is brought into engagement to be rotated by the phonograph driving mechanism, means for raising the swinging element from the record, means movable with the carrier for actuating said raising means, means on the carrier for moving the swinging element to a position beyond but adjacent the record to permit the carrier to deposit a record upon the turntable, and means to normally urge the swinging element from this latter position towards the first playing lines.

18. The combination with a phonograph having a rotating element, a swinging element, a stylus carried by the swinging element to follow 40 the sound convolutions of a record upon the rotating element and thus to propel the swinging element, of a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction, a member pivoted to move said record'carrier alternately in raising the swinging element from the record,

means movable with the carrier for actuating said raising means, means on the carrier for moving the swinging .element to a position beyond but adjacent the record to permit the carrierto deposit a record upon the rotating element, means to normally urge the swinging element from this latter position towards the first playing lines, and means to arrest the return or the swinging element at a predetermined point.

19. The combination with a phonograph having a rotating element, a swinging element, a stylus carried by the swinging element to follow the sound convolutions of a record upon the rotating element and thus to propel the swinging 5 element, of a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction, a member pivoted to move said record carrier alternately in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted 70 to said member and means tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engagement with the phonograph driving means, means for re-- straining the said urging means during normal playing of the phonograph, means controlled by 75 said swinging element for rendering said rement of, and upon any abnormal advancement of straining means ineflective to further restrain said urging means after the reproduction of a record whereby to render said urging means free to move said disc into engagement with said driving means to effect migratory movement of said carrier, means for raising the swinging element from the record, means movable with the carrier for actuating said raising means, means on the carrier for moving the swinging element to a position beyond but adjacent the record to permit the carrier to deposit a record upon the rotating element, means to normally urge the swinging element from this latter position towards the first playing lines, and means to arrest the return of the swinging element at a predetermined point.

20. The combination with a phonograph having a swinging element normally moved by and during the playing of a phonograph record, of a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the phonograph turntable at the end of each reproduction, a member pivoted to move said record carrier alternately in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted to said member and means tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engagement with the phonograph driving means, means for restraining the said urging means during normal playing of the phonograph, means to disengage said re- I straining means upon cessation of movement of,

engagement to be rotated by the phonograph driving mechanism, means for raising the swinging element from the record, means movable with the carrier for actuating said raising means, means on the carrier for moving the swinging element to a position beyond but adjacent the record to permit the carrier to deposit a record upon the turntable, means to normally urge the swinging element from this latter position towards the first playing lines, and means to arrest the return of the swinging element at a predetermined point.

21. The combination with a phonograph having a swinging element and a stylus, of a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the phonograph turntable at the 'end of each reproduction, a member pivoted to move said record carrier alternately in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted to said member and means for tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engagement with the phonograph driving means, means for raising the swinging element from the record, means movable with the carrier for actuating said raising means, means on the carrier for moving the swinging element to a position beyond but adjacent the record to permit the carrier to deposit a record upon the turntable, means to normally urge the swinging element from this latter position towards the first playing line, means to arrest the return of the swinging element at a predetermined point, means to lower the swinging elementto cause the stylus to land on the record adjacent the first playing lines, and means to withdraw the swinging element arresting means after the stylus has landed.

22. The combination with a phonograph having a swinging element and a stylus, of a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the phonograph turntable at the end of each reproduction, a member pivoted to, move said record carrier alternately in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted to said member and means tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engagement with the phonograph driving means. means for rwtraining the'said urging means during normal playing of the phonograph, means controlled by said swinging element for rendering said restraining means ineifective to further restrain said urging means after the reproduction of a record whereby. to render said urging means free to move said disc into engagement with said driving means to effect migratory movement of said carrier, means for raising the swinging element from the record, means movable with the carrier for actuating said raising means, means on the carrier for moving the swinging element to a position beyond but adjacent thereoord to permit the carrier to deposit a record upon the turntable, means to normally urge the swinging element from this latter position towards the first playing lines, means to arrest the return of' the swinging element at a predetermined point, means to lower the swinging element to cause the stylus to land on the record adjacent the first playing lines, and means to withdraw the swinging element arresting means after the stylus has landed.

23. The combination with a phonograph having a tone arm normally moved by and during the playing of a phonograph record, a migratory record carrier, a member pivoted to move said record carrier alternately in opposite directions, a disc eccentrically pivoted to said member and means tending to normally urge said disc into frictional engagement with the phonograph driving means, means for restraining the said urging means during normal playing of the phonograph, means to disengage said restraining means upon cessation of movementof, and upon any abnormal advancement of the tone-arm whereby the disc is brought into engagement to be rotated by the phonograph driving mechanism, means for raising the tone-arm from the record, means movable with the carrier for actuating said raising means, means on the carrier for moving the tone-arm to a position beyond but adjacent the record, means to normally urge the tone-arm from this latter position towards the first playing lines, means to arrest the return of the tonearm at a predetermined point, means to lower the tone-arm to cause the stylus to land on the record adjacent the first playing lines, and means to withdraw the tone-arm arresting means after the stylus has landed.

24. The combination with a phonograph, of a migratory record carrier mounted to move over and beyond alinement with the turntable and to return to initial position and operatively connected to the phonograph driving mechanism, said record carrier comprising a ring having record supporting lugs on one side of its center and a record support and escapement slot on the opposite side, a stack of records in said carrier, means to arrest the forward movement of the lowermost record when it has reached a position of axial alinement with the turntable spindle while the record carrier continues to move on to its position beyond alinement, to move said record into the escapement' slot and to disengage itfrom the lugs to cause it to drop over the spindle, said spindle serving also to retain the record in such position while the carrier recedes to completely release the record, said arresting means being movably mounted for movement into and ing element, and a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction, and mechanism including a lever for actuating said carrier to operate the same; three levers all mounted on a common axis, two of said levers being yieldingly engaged to cause the second to vfollow the movements of the first, the third lever being freely pivoted with respect to the other two, means associated with the swinging element for rotating the first of said levers, means on the third lever to restrain the carrier actuating lever, and means engaging a projection on the second lever to rotate it oppositely to the rotation thereof in response to said first lever when the swinging element ceases to advance or advances abnormally, to release the restraining means from the carrier actuating lever to permit the carrier to be moved thereby into position to deposit a new record onto the rotating element and to recede to its initial position after the record has been deposited, means for effecting the deposit of a record from said carrier onto said rotating element incident to said migratory movement, means for raising the swinging element from the playing position during advance of said record carrier, and means for moving the swinging element to a position beyond but adjacent the rotating element.

26. The combination with a phonograph having a rotating element, a. swinging element, a

stylus carried by the swinging element to follow the sound convolutions of a record upon the rotating element and thus to propel the swinging element, and a migratory record carrier adapted to deposit records successively onto the rotating element at the end of each reproduction, and mechanism to operate the same; a carrier actuating lever, three levers all mounted on a common axis, two ofsaid-levers being yieldingly engaged to cause the second to follow the movements of the first, the third lever being freely pivoted with respect to the other two, means associated with the swinging element for rotating the first of said levers, means on the third lever to'restrain the carrier actuating lever, and means engaging the projection on the second lever to rotate it oppositely to the rotation of the first lever when the swinging element ceases to advance or advances abnormally, to release the restraining means from the carrier actuating lever to permit the carrier to move into position to deposit a new record onto the rotating element and to recede to its initial position after the record has been deposited, means associated with the record carrier for raising the swinging element from the playing position, and meansfor moving the swinging element to a position beyond but adjacent the rotatingelement.

SAMUEL KOHN. 

